Fluid spraying apparatus



. Set, 30, l fi J. H. HOLLAND 3,469,786

FLUID SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN H. HOLLAND MMWML ATTORNEY J. H. HOLLAND 3,469,786

FLUID SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN H. HOLLAND ATTORNEY U.S. Cl. 239-126 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spraybar for applying a coat of liquid asphalt or the like on the ground having a linearly spaced array of spray nozzles each in fluid communication with a shoot manifold through a separate fluid actuated valve. When asphalt is pumped into the shoot manifold, each valve is opened by the pressure of the asphalt and asphalt is sprayed from the nozzles. When asphalt is pumped through a bypass manifold, the pressure of the asphalt closes the valves to the respective nozzles and opens a fluid bypass to the shoot manifold to maintain circulation. The valves may be either reciprocating or rotating, and any selected valve can be locked in the closed position.

Field of the invention The present invention relates to remotely operable fluid valves, and more particularly, but not by Way of limitation, relates to apparatus for applying coatings of liquid asphalt or the like to surfaces such as roads.

The prior art When paving streets and roads, it is often necessary to apply a coat of liquid asphalt or other bituminous material to the surface to be paved. This is typically accomplished by a vehicle having a large reservoir of heated liquid asphalt which is pumped under pressure to a spraybar extending transversely of the vehicle and having a series of spaced nozzles through which the asphalt is sprayed in overlapping fan patterns to provide a uniform coat.

One limiting factor in the design of such apparatus is that asphalt, though a liquid at high temperatures, has a sharp rise in viscosity at lower temperatures, and at atmospheric temperatures becomes essentially a solid which will readily plug the plumbing, valves and nozzles of the system.

Considerable effort has been made in the art to minimize this problem of plugging caused by the entrapment, cooling and hardening of asphalt in the nozzles and other confined spaces in the spraybar. Further, considerable effort has been directed toward providing systems delivering a constant fluid pressure to all of the spraybar nozzles in order to achieve the important objective of uniform coverage of the surface being paved.

One such apparatus directed to the solution of these and other problems is disclosed in applicants US. Patent 3,120,927. That patent discloses a spraybar having an array of spaced nozzles between two long unobstructed channels which form input and return manifolds. A rotary valve adjacent each nozzle causes the asphalt to be directed either out through the nozzle or through the return manifold and back to the supply tank. Thus the shooting of asphalt can be interrupted while maintaining a flow of hot asphalt adjacent all outlets of the spraybar to keep any trapped asphalt in a fluid state. Further, the shooting pressures at all nozzles were maintained relatively constant. Each of the valves is actuated mechanically by a lever, and the several levers are interconnected by a gangbar which is operated remotely by means of a hydraulic linear actuator. Such a system has the disad- States atent C vantages of being heavy and unwieldy, making it somewhat difrlcult to manage and field strip for inspection or repair.

Summary of the invention claimed This invention is concerned with a remotely operated valve in which the valve is actuated by the fluid being controlled.

In one specific embodiment, the valve body is reciprocated between open and closed positions by a fluid piston operating in a fluid cylinder. When the fluid being valved is applied to the fluid cylinder through one manifold, the pressure acting on the piston opens the valve to permit the fluid to pass through the valve. When the fluid is applied to a second manifold, the force of the fluid acting on the piston closes the valve, blocking the flow of fluid through the valve. In another specific embodiment of the invention, a rotary valve is actuated by a vane-type actuator which is operated in the same manner.

In accordance With another aspect of the invention, a single three way valve is used to control one or more fluid actuated valves for a corresponding number of spray nozzles and also control the fluid to be sprayed from the nozzles.

In a more specific embodiment of the invention, an asphalt spraybar is provided which has no actuating levers, gangbar or hydraulic cylinder. The spraybar is fast acting, less expensive to fabricate and service, and is much lighter in weight. The individual nozzles may be easily and quickly disabled to change the width of the spray pattern. All parts are in good heat exchange relationship with flowing liquid, and a minimum volume of liquid is trapped when the spraybar is not in operation.

Brief description of the drawings For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a spraybar embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic hydraulic diagram of a system in accordance with the present invention for operating the spraybar of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of another spraybar constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded isometric view of a section of the spraybar shown in FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiments As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a spraybar, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10-, has an elongated multiple valve housing 12. The housing 12 is a rectangular bar of any suitable metal having a high heat conductivity. For orientation purposes, the housing 12 may be considered as having a top face 14, a bottom face 16, and side faces 18 and 20.

A plurality of cylindrical bores 22 are spaced along the housing 12, each extending from the top face 14 through the bottom face 16. A fluid passageway 26 extends through the upper portion of side 20 to each bore 22, and a fluid passageway 28 extends through the lower portion of side 18 to each bore 22. In addition, a fluid bypass 30 extends through side face 20 to cavity 22 beneath each passageway 26.

A manifold 32 is attached to side 18 of the housing 12. The manifold 32 is an elongated member formed from any suitable material, and having a cross section presenting an open side to fluid passageways 28. Manifold 34, which may be identical to manifold 32, is aflixed to side of the housing 12 so that its open side is presented to fluid passageways 26 and bypasses 30. Manifolds 32 and 34 may be secured to housing 12 by any convenient means, such as by welds 36.

Fluid is applied to manifolds 32 and 34 by bolted flange fittings 38 and 40, respectively, as shown in FIGURE 1. Each of the fittings 38 and 40 is of the same construction and includes an open bolt flange welded to the end of the bar and a blind bolt flange having a small diameter nipple extending from one end. The blind flange of fitting 38 is oriented so as to close the end of manifold 34 and place the nipple 42 in fluid communication with the interior of manifold 32, while the blind flange of fitting 40 is reversed to close the end of manifold 32 and place the nipple 44 in fluid communication with manifold 34. The use of identical flange fittings reduces the number of parts to be fabricated for assembly in the device.

A nozzle 54, having the general form of a cylinder, is press-fitted into the lower end of each bore 22. The nozzle 54 has a central cylindrical bore 56, which is countersunk at its lower end to produce an annular valve seat 57, and terminates in a hemispherical chamber 58 short of the end of the cylindrical body. A notch 60, in the shape of an inverted V, is cut diametrically across the lower face of the cylindrical body so that it intersects the hemispherical chamber 58 creating a nozzle orifice. The shape of the orifice thus formed is such that pressurized fluid flow through it is the fan-shaped spray desired in applying asphalt.

A fluid passageway a in nozzle body 54 provides fluid communication between passageway 30 and the nozzle bore 56. Similarly, a fluid passageway 28a provides fluid communication between passageway 28 and bore 56. A slot 64 in nozzle 54 registers with passageway 28, and we tends all the way to the top end of nozzle body 54.

Each cylindrical bore 22 forms a cylinder which receives the disk-shaped fluid piston 68. Piston 68 is connected to a cylindrical valve body 72 by a stem 70. The valve body 72 is slidably disposed in the valve cavity formed by the cylindrical bore 56 in the nozzle body and has a conically shaped lower end 74 which is adapted to sealingly engage the annular seat 57.

The top end of each bore 22 is sealed by a cap 78, which is threaded into the bore, and an O-ring seal 76. A bolt 80 is threaded through the center of the cap 78. A nut 81 is locked on the lower end of bolt 80 so that the bolt 80 cannot be unscrewed past the point where the lower face of piston 68 is level with the bottom of passageway 26. The lower end of bolt 80 limits the upward travel of valve 72 to the open position illustrated in solid line in FIGURE 2, by the engagement of piston 68 with bolt 80 just below passageway 28. The valve body travels downwardly to the position shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 2, where the conical end 74 of valve 72 seats on the shoulder 57. This is termed the closed position.

The spraybar illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 is connected into the fluid network shown in FIGURE 3. A tank 82, capable of holding the supply of liquid asphalt which is to be dispensed, is equipped with a heater for maintaining the asphalt in a fluid state. A pump 86 draws asphalt from tank 82 through line 84 and supplies the asphalt under pressure to a three-way valve 88. A fluid return line 90 leads from valve 88 back to the tank 82 and is at atmospheric pressure. Lines 92 and 94 lead from valve 88 to manifolds 32 and 34, respectively.

When valve 88 is in the position illustrated schematically in FIGURE 3, tank outlet line 84 is connected to line 94 leading to manifold 34, and line 92 leading from manifold 32 is connected to the tank return line 90. This position is hereafter referred to as the bypass position. The valve 88 may be moved to a second position where the output of the pump is connected to line 92 and line 94 is connected back to the tank return line 90.

4 This position is hereafter referred to as the shoot position.

In operation, the spraybar 10 is disposed above the surface to be sprayed, with the nozzle orifices pointing toward the surface. Hot liquid asphalt is pumped from tank 82 through line 84. When valve 88 is in the shoot position, the asphalt is pumped under pressure through line 92 into manifold 32, and manifold 34 is returned to the tank and atmospheric pressure. The high pressure asphalt in the cylinder formed by bore 22 exerts a net upwardly directed force on piston 68 and valve body 72. Since the fluid on top of piston 68 and below the portion of the valve body within the annular seat is at atmospheric pressure, the net force is upward to move the valve body and piston to the open position shown in solid line in FIG- URE 2. After the valve body has been unseated, the back pressure from the nozzle orifice is adequate to maintain the valve body in the raised position so that the asphalt from manifold 32 will pass through passageways 28 and 28a and out through the nozzle orifices.

When it is desired to interrupt the spraying of asphalt, valve 88 is merely turned to the bypass position, which connects the output of the pump to manifold 34 and connects manifold 32 back to the tank and atmospheric pressure. The high pressure asphalt above the piston 68 will then force the valve body downwardly and press the conical end 74 of the valve body tightly against the annular seat 57, as shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 2, thus positively sealing off the nozzle orifice.

When valve 88 is in the bypass position and shooting is stopped, the upper end of the valve body 72 is positioned below bypass 300. Direct fluid communication is then force the valve body downwardly and press the passageway formed by bypass passageways 30 and 30a, valve cavity 56, bore 22, slot 64 and passageway 28. The pressure drop resulting from flow through this passageway, and particularly through the small diameter passageway 30a, is adequate to maintain the valve 72 firmly seated to block the flow of fluid to the nozzle. Hot asphalt continues to circulate between manifolds 32 and 34 at each valve, preventing the plugging of any nozzles or passageways by the cooling and hardening of trapped asphalt. The asphalt bypassed to manifold 34 is returned to tank 82 through lines 94 and 90.

It may be desired to spray asphalt only from a selected number of the nozzles 54, to limit the total width of the coat of asphalt applied to the roadbed. In that case, selected valves may be disabled in the off position by screwing the respective bolt down until it forces the conical end 74 of the valve body 72 against shoulder 57 to take the respective nozzle out of operation. When it is desired to place the nozzle back in operation, bolt 80 is merely backed off until lock nut 81 contacts the top of cavity 22.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that spraybar 10 is of very simple and inexpensive construction. The valve housing 12 may be produced directly from bar stock by drilling a number of straight holes perpendicular to the surfaces of the bar. Manifolds 32 and 34 may be simple channel cross section stock, or even the halves of a longitudinally split length of pipe. Nozzle 54 requires only a few straightforward marching steps. Valve 72 and stem 70 may be machined in one piece, and then affixed to piston 68 by bradding the end of stem 70 after the end of the stem is passed through a hole in the center of the disk which forms piston 68.

No close tolerances are required in any of the fabrication steps. Even the piston 68 need not have fluid-tight engagement with the wall of cavity 22, because it is only necessary to establish a differential pressure across the piston 68 to maintain valve body 66 in the desired position.

It should be noted that the working parts of spraybar 10 may be quickly disassembled and reassembled in the field for inspection, cleaning or repair. Once cap 78 is removed, valve body 68 may be lifted out and then nozzle 54 forced out of its press fit.

Further, the present invention permits the elimination of the hitherto conventional heavy, ungainly network of levers actuated by a gangbar. The manipulation of a single valve in the fluid network interconnecting the spraybar and asphalt supply controls the asphalt spray. The hydraulic system for controlling the delivery of asphalt is smooth and fast acting. The possibility of mechanical failure is also reduced by the use of this apparatus, which possesses a minimal number of moving parts, and results in a long service life.

It will be appreciated that the locking means for changing the shot width may be quickly and easily engaged and disengaged. Further, the operator of the apparatus can determine from a cursory visual inspection of the positions of the bolt heads atop the nozzle housing which valves are locked closed.

An alternative spraybar, employing rotary valves, is illustrated in FIGURES 4-6. The spraybar has a housing 102 and manifolds 104 and 106 assembled in the same manner as those of the spraybar shown in FIGURE 1. Housing 102 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced bores 108 extending through the housing. Each bore 108 has an upper cylindrical hydraulic cavity 110, a middle conically tapered valve cavity 114, and a lower cylindrical nozzle cavity 112. A bore extends horizontally through housing 102 and intersects the valve cavity 114 to form fluid passageways 116 and 118. Another bore extends horizontally throupgh housing 102 and intersects the hydraulic cavity 110 creating fluid passageways 120 and 122. A cutoff valve cavity 124 intersects passageway 122.

A valve body 126 has a valve portion 128 which is received in valve cavity 114 and has a corresponding conical taper to form a circumferential seal, and a slotted stem 129 which extends upwardly into cavity 110. A bypass 130 extends horizontally through the valve portion 128 at a position such as to be alignable with passageways 116 and 118. A second passageway 132 extends between the center of the lower face of valve 128 and a position on the side of valve 128 such that it is alignable with passageway 118. In FIGURE 4, conduit 132 is shown aligned with passageway 118. By a sixty degree rotation of valve 128, bypass 130 would be brought into register with passageways 116 and 118.

A washer 134 is disposed below valve body 126 and a nozzle 136 is threaded into the nozzle cavity until it engages washer 134 and firmly presses the tapered valve body against the tapered valve cavity. A hemispherical chamber 138 opens to the upper central face of nozzle 136. A notch 140 runs diametrically across the bottom of nozzle 136, intersecting chamber 138 to form a nozzle orifice. A jam nut 142 is threaded onto nozzle 136 to secure nozzle 136 and valve body 126 in place.

A small O-ring seal 144 may be placed around stem 130. An arcuately shaped hydraulic chamber 154 is formed by a washer 146, a segment of a ring 148, and a washer 150, all of which are secured against rotation within the bore by key 152, as best seen in FIGURE 6. A vane 156 is positioned in slot 158 on the valve stem 130 and extends radially into the hydraulic chamber 154. Vane 156 has the same axial height as ring 148, so that it fits snugly, but slidably, between washers 146 and 150. The outer edge of vane 156 slidably engages the wall of hydraulic cavity 110. A cap 158 is threaded into the upper end of the bore 108 to retain the parts of the fluid actuator in place.

When vane 156 is in the shooting position shown in FIGURE 5, nozzle conduit 132 of valve 128 registers with passageway 118. When vane 156 is pivoted sixty degrees so that it abuts the opposite side of chamber 154, bypass 130 of valve 128 is aligned with passageways 116 and 118. This latter condition may be referred to as the bypass position.

Ring 148 has fluid passages 120a and 122a which connect the hydraulic chamber 154 to passageways 120 and 122, respectively. A cutoff valve 160 is secured in cutoff valve cavity 124 to close passageway 122 and disable 6 the respective fluid actuator. Valve 160 is a simple stopcock with a passage 126 which may be aligned with conduit 122, as shown in FIGURE 4. Valve 160 may be rotated by means of handle 162.

The spraybar shown in FIGURES 4-6 may be operated in the fluid network of FIGURE 3 in substantially the same manner as the syraybar shown in FIGURE 1. When valve 88 is in the bypass position, asphalt is pumped under pressure through manifold 104, and manifold 106 is vented to atmosphere. The high pressure in manifold 104 acts through conduits 128 and a to force vane 156 into the bypass position and asphalt flows from manifold 104 through bypass to manifold 106 and returns to the tank 82. When valve 88 is turned to the shoot position, asphalt is pumjed under pressure to manifold 106 causing pressure in conduits 122 and 122a to shift vane 156 to the position shown in FIGURE 5 and move valve body 128 such that passageway 132 registe'rs with passageway 118 so that high pressure asphalt will be directed to the spray nozzle.

The cutofi valve 160 may be employed to disable any selected nozzle 136 and thereby reduce the shot width. With valve 160 closed, no pressure may be applied through conduit 122b to force vane 156 and thus valve 128 into the shooting position. The position of handle 126 on each cutoff valve 126 gives a quick means of determining which nozzles are locked closed by valves 162.

Although an important advantage of the present invention is the use of the fluid being sprayed to operate the actuators which operate the valves controlling the flow of the fluid to the nozzles, the fluid actuators may, within the broader aspects of this invention, be operated by an independent fluid system. However, the latter would require a separate and additional reservoir, pump, valve, and plumbing, which would be an unnecessary expense.

What is claimed is:

1. The system for distributing a fluid such as asphalt comprising:

means forming a plurality of valve cavities each having a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port,

a valve body disposed in each valve cavity and movable between an open position for permitting the flow of fluid from the inlet port to the outlet port and a closed position for blocking the flow of fluid from the inlet port to the outlet port,

a spray nozzle in fluid communication with each outlet port,

a first manifold in fluid communication with each inlet port,

a second fluid manifold, and

a fluid actuator for each valve body for moving the respective valve body to the open position in response to fluid pressure in the first fluid manifold and for moving the respective valve body to the closed position in response to fluid pressure in the second fluid manifold.

b 2. The system defined in claim 1 further characterized means for selectively and alternatively supplying the fluid to be distributed under pressure to the first manifold to move the valve bodies to the open positions and distribute the fluid through the spray nozzles, or to the second manifold to move the valve bodies to the closed positions.

3. The system defined in claim 2 wherein:

the means forming a plurality of valve cavities forms a fluid bypass for each valve cavity placing the first and second manifolds in fluid communication, and

each of the valve body means is adapted to block fluid flow through the respective fluid bypass when in the open position and permit fluid flow through the fluid bypass when in the closed position.

4. The system defined in claim 1 wherein:

each of the valve bodies is reciprocated between the open and closed positions, and

each of the fluid actuators is comprised of a fluid piston connected to the valve body means, and means forming a fluid cylinder for applying fluid pressure from the first manifold to one face of the piston to move the respective valve body to the open position and for applying fluid pressure from the second manifold to the other face of the fluid piston to move the respective valve body to the closed position. 5. The system defined in claim 4 wherein the valve body and fluid piston comprise a single rigid member having a pair of opposed effective fluid working faces and is adapted to block fluid flow to the outlet.

6. The system defined in claim 1 wherein: the means forming the plurality of valve cavities and fluid ports comprises an elongated housing having opposite side faces and top and bottom faces, the first manifold extends along one side face of the housing and the second manifold extends along the other side face, and the valve cavities are formed by elongated passageways the axes of which extend between the top and bottom faces, and each of the spray nozzles is located in the corresponding passageway at the bottom face. 7. The system defined in claim 6 wherein: the means forming each of the valve cavities forms an annular, upwardly facing seat around the outlet port, and the valve body is reciprocated between an open position at the top of its travel and a closed position on the upwardly facing seat at the bottom of its travel. 8. The system defined in claim 7 wherein the spray nozzle and valve cavity are formed by a single insert in the lower end of each bore.

9. The system defined in claim 8 wherein: the fluid actuator comprises a fluid piston reciprocally disposed in the housing above the insert and connected to the valve body. 10. The system defined in claim 9 further characterized by:

plug means closing the top end of the bore, and mechanical means extending through the plug means for selectively engaging the fluid piston and holding the valve body in the closed position against the force of the fluid to disable the respective spray nozzle. 11. The system defined in claim 6 wherein: the lower end of each of the elongated passageways is closed by a spray nozzle,

the valve body oscillates in the valve cavity between the open and closed positions, and

the fluid actuator is comprised of a fluid vane connected to the top end of the valve body, and means for applying the fluid pressure in the first manifold to one face of the fluid vane to move the valve body to the open position and for applying the fluid pressure in the second manifold to the other face of the vane to move the valve body to the closed position.

12. The system for distributing a coat of asphalt on the surface of a road comprising:

means forming a plurality of valve cavities each having a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port,

a valve body disposed in each valve cavity and movable between an open position for permitting the flow of fluid from the inlet port to the outlet port and a closed position for blocking the flow of fluid from the inlet port to the outlet port,

a spray nozzle in fluid communication with each outlet port,

a manifold in fluid communication with each inlet port for supplying asphalt under pressure to the inlet ports,

a separate fluid actuator for each valve body for moving the respective valve body to the open position in response to fluid pressure in a first fluid manifold and for moving the respective valve body to the closed position in response to fluid pressure in a second fluid manifold, and

means for selectively and alternatively supplying fluid under pressure to the first and second fluid manifolds.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,043,518 7/1962 Cartwright 239124 3,120,927 2/1964 Holland 239- FOREIGN PATENTS 22,076 10/1961 East Germany. 651,903 4/1951 Great Britain.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 239-127, 130 

